Green Bean Casserole

I mentioned in yesterday's post that my sister is a vegetarian.  She eats a lot of vegetables and requested green beans.  I thought a green bean casserole would be a nice addition to our meal.  However, my husband doesn't like canned, condensed cream of (fill in the____ ) soup.  I was happy to find this recipe for a green bean casserole that doesn't use condensed soup but still has the crunchy onions on top, which I love!  Blanching the beans kept them from getting soggy.  This was a tasty veggie side that we all enjoyed.

Green Bean Casserole
recipe adapted from I Thee Cook

Ingredients:
 2 pounds Fresh Green Beans, Ends Cut Off
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 whole Large Onion, Chopped
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
2-1/2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Half-and-half
1-1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup crispy onions

Directions:
Cut green beans in half if you like pieces to be a little smaller.

Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans once they're cool and set aside.

In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper, then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. Turn off heat.

Add onion mixture and stir to combine. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and top with crispy onions.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and onions are golden.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.